Kaduna abduction: Kuriga’ll have police station, military presence – Uba Sani

Kaduna abduction: Kuriga’ll have police station, military presence – Uba Sani

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has assured that modalities were being put in place for the safe return of kidnapped Kuriga school children and reiterated the state government’s commitment to protecting the lives and properties of citizens.

He said Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area would soon have a Police Station and military presence as he had spoken to the Federal authorities about the issue.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service monitored in Kaduna on Sunday, Senator Uba Sani said it would be wrong to politicise the issue of security in this trying moment, as lives and wellbeing of the kidnapped children should be of uppermost importance.

“As you might have known, I was angry and in my capacity as the Governor, I’m aware that it’s a major responsibility of government to protect lives and properties of citizens. That’s why when the incident happened, I immediately swung into action and went to Kuriga.”

“I was given a warm reception by the people of Kuriga, they were so pleased to see me. We had a good discussion which calmed frayed nerves because they knew ours is a government committed to the protection of the masses and the society at large. We shall do our best, by the will of Allah, to see that those our children return home by the will of Allah.”

“This morning, 27 amongst the children have returned. One more just returned. We are therefore, pretty sure that by the will of Allah…we’ve put in place strategies, but they would remain covert because they’re strategies that shouldn’t be made public. Security matters should be divorced from politics. We shouldn’t politicise this issue because it involves lives and wellbeing of our children, young kids.”

“It’s incumbent upon us to follow this matter with extra care, and to deploy all possible means and ensure that these children return home devoid of any political undertone.”

“I’ve spoken to the Inspector General of Police. As you might’ve known, it’s unfortunate there is no police presence in that village. It’s a known fact that according to the constitution, a Governor cannot establish any police structure until permission is granted by the Inspector General of Police.”

“I’ve already spoken to him and asked the permission to build a police station there, which he has granted. I’ve also spoken to the Chief of Army Staff ,General Lagbaja. I told him about the necessity of deploying troops along that axis. There’s no military presence along the road from Birnin Gwari, Buruku to Kuriga. I told him about that and he has agreed. All these, in our capacity as Governors, we have to seek for permission in accordance to the constitution of the Federal Republic.”

On the issue of State Police, he reiterated that “in all developed countries of the world, there is State Police. It was some people who couldn’t fully understand the concept of State Police. When the issue of security is being discussed, we talk about the military. But what is their total number?”

“When I visited that village, the inhabitants were crying. But why were they crying? When those people invaded them, the local vigilante group couldn’t help. It’s only the State Police that could’ve handled that because it would be backed by law to handle arms.”

“But if you’re talking about the Vigilante, the constitution does not give them that right. Besides, how many soldiers do we have in Nigeria? What’s the total number of our security operatives? If we really want to bring and end to insecurity, it’s imperative that we keep politics aside and do the needful to protect our communities.”

“On whether they can be sustained, there is nothing that is more important than security in this country. if it’s about the cost implication, can going to school be possible without security? Can going to the farm be done without security. Farming itself, would it be possible without security ? How about business transactions and even road construction, can it be done without security?”

“So in my view, there is no basis to politicise the issue of security. We should fear Allah. We should keep politics aside and work towards protecting our people and their properties,” he said.